Measurement Error in “Big Five Factors” Personality Assessment: Reliability Generalization across Studies and Measures

Abstract

Meta-analysis was used to cumulate reliabilities of personality scale scores. A total of 848 coefficients of stability and 1,359 internal consistency reliabilities across the Big Five factors of personality were examined. The frequency-weighted mean coefficients of stability were .75 (SD = .10, K = 221), .76 (SD = .12, K = 176), .71 (SD = .13, K = 139), .69 (SD = .14, K = 119), and .72 (SD = .13, K = 193) for Emotional Stability, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness, respectively. The corresponding internal consistency reliabilities were .78 (SD = .11, K = 370), .78 (SD = .09, K = 307), .73 (SD = .12, K = 251), .75 (SD = .11, K = 123), and .78 (SD = .10, K = 307). Sample-size-weighted means also were computed. The dimension of personality being rated does not appear to strongly moderate either the internal consistency or the testretest reliabilities. Implications for personality assessment are discussed.